judith donath

I'm interested in how communication technologies change society. I write books and articles analyzing this process, create artworks critiquing it, and make objects and applications designed to change it for the good.

My book The Social Machine: Designs for Living
Online (MIT Press, 2014) looks at how
interface design shapes online identity and influences behavior. It is a manifesto for balancing
transparency, engagement and innovation - and a manual for designing radically new social interfaces.

"Donath makes a compelling case that... issues of
privacy, surveillance, healthy group dynamics and the
health of the larger commons are also design issues. That
she presents these issue in their ethical complexity is a
testament to her concern and hope for design strategies
that pay attention to all the implications of networked
life." - Leonardo

"For anyone with interest in this field, either as a
technology designer or just as someone who loves beautiful
technology,this is destined to become the definitive
text. It is eloquent, well organized, and thorough."
- Science

Current work

Currently, I'm writing a book about technology,
trust and deception.

Some technologies, such as anonymous chats and easily faked profiles, make deception easier, while others, such as ubiquitous surveillance and surreptitious data tracking, promise to eliminate it. Social agents mimic empathic phrases and emotional expressions to gain our confidence and affection. In deciding whether we want to
embrace or reject these technologies it is
essential that we understand the economics of honesty that have shaped how we (and all living things) communicate, and the role that both honesty and deception play in helping individuals and societies
flourish or fail.

Since Trump's election, it has become even more
crucial to understand the social
dynamics of deception and the role technology plays in
establishing or undermining trust. Here are a couple of
short articles, on why
people share fake news and how
(not) to refute a lie.

Other writing, other media

I've written papers and articles
about many topics relating to the internet and society: privacy, reputation, artificial pets, data
portraits, pseudonymity, social visualization, cute robots, anthropomorphized cars, and more.